


Back To Sleep

by NahaFlowers



Category: Robin Hood (BBC 2006)
Genre: Bittersweet, Family, Family Feels, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Mother-Son Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-04
Updated: 2020-10-04
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:40:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26813041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NahaFlowers/pseuds/NahaFlowers
Summary: When Guy can't sleep, he turns to the softest, purest memory of his childhood, before everything went wrong.Inspired by the Nanowrimo October 1st photo prompt, 'baby picture'.
Relationships: Guy of Gisborne & Ghislaine
Comments: 2
Kudos: 6





	Back To Sleep

There's a memory that Guy of Gisborne keeps, safely buried in the depths of his brain, wrapped in the swaddling of his childhood, before everything went bad. The softest, purest memory, not by any means to be tainted by the impurities that surround his life and his actions today.

But still, sometimes, after hard days being yelled at and tortured by the Sheriff, or yelling at and torturing villagers, or simply being humiliated or embarrassed by Hood and his gang, or by Marian...he'll carefully unwrap it, in the depths of the night, when he's completely sure he's alone, and remember his mother's voice, and her memory.

"When you were just a babe," Ghislaine told Guy, ten years old, knees scraped (and tenderly bandaged by Ghislaine) after running from the younger boys (a game, apparently, but never one that Guy has found any fun or amusement in), "you were so quiet. It is, strange, really. You could bawl with the rest of them when you wanted to, but as long as you could see me, as long as I was near - you were mute as a fish."

Guy giggled at that. "Mute as a _fish_?"

Ghislaine waved her hand. "However you say it in English. _Muet comme une carpe_."

"Ohh. Quiet as a church mouse," he provided.

Ghislaine patted his cheek affectionately. "That's my clever boy." Guy blushed in equal parts embarrassment and pride. "Anyway, as I was saying...with Isabella, I struggled, you know, because she would cry often, when nothing was wrong, whether I was near her or no. That's not unusual for babies. But you were different. I always knew, if you were upset, all I had to do was hold you in my arms and you would settle."

Guy smiled. "Well I _am_ much less of a handful than Isabella."

Ghislaine shook her head smilingly. "She's a girl, she's entitled. Anyway," she said, pulling him into her lap and tickling him so he giggled, curling up, "you're enough of a handful, _mon coeur_. You shouldn't let those boys bully you."

Guy stopped giggling and made a face. "I _know_ that," he said, in the long-suffering tone of a ten-year-old. "I just don't understand how."

Ghislaine hummed in understanding, and Guy fell back against her with a sigh. For a moment they stayed like that, Ghislaine's hand running comfortingly through Guy's hair. "It's still the same," she said eventually. "You still calm in my presence." She gently pushed Guy from her lap; his heart stuttered for a moment until he realised she was only turning him to look at her. "I'll always be here. You know that, Guy?"

Guy nodded his head. Then his face went serious, as it was wont to do, more than other boys his age, Ghislaine had noticed. "But not forever though," he said, looking troubled. "I mean, you'll die one day, right?"

Ghislaine chuckled at her son's bluntness. "Why, Guy, don't you know I'm going to live forever?" Guy just scowled; Ghislaine, who had been memorising Guy's expressions since the moment he was born, knew this one meant 'take me seriously, Maman'. She endeavoured to put on her most serious face. "You're right," she said. "Although I may very well outlive you, especially if you follow in your father's footsteps." Guy looked mildly horrified at that, and Ghislaine couldn't blame him. "Time enough for that later," she said, stroking his hair again, "but if I do die before you...it doesn't matter. I'll be with you always, Guy." She placed her hand on his heart. "In here."

Guy nodded. He remembers feeling relieved - that same relief washes over him now. She is still there; he hasn't lost her for good, even if he will never see her again, in life or in death.

After that, he's usually able to go to sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> Me, writing this fic in the middle of the night: *furiously googling for the French equivalent of the 'quiet as a church mouse' idiom*  
> Me: *finds it*  
> Website: This idiom was first used in 1612  
> Me: I can't read, suddenly I don't know. 
> 
> To be fair I have no idea when 'quiet as a church mouse' was first used, and it's not as if this show isn't incredibly anachronistic.


End file.
